Today in our poetry news round-up we take a look at the streets in Islamabad that will be named after poets. We also have a story about a burglary at the home of the late Ruth Stone.
3 Roads in Islamabad to be Named After Poets
The CDA (Capital Development Agency) has confirmed that their plans that were submitted to the committee for National History and Literary Heritage were passed and that 3 roads in Islamabad will now be named after the three prominent figures.
The proposal was made so that the poets in question might be remembered for their work and their contributions to literature. Signboards are to be installed at all of the newly named roads once the work has been completed and the official forms have bee signed.
The first road is to be named after the poet, scholar, critic and columnist Jameeluddin Aali. He penned many books and also wrote national songs. He was awarded a Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence – the second-highest civilian honour that is given in Pakistan).
The second road is to be named after Josh Malibabadi, who was a prominent Pakistani poet. Malihabadi was famed for his marsias, ghazals and nazams. He was also awarded a Hilal-e-Imtiaz.
The final road will be named for the Urdu poet Hafeez Jalandhari, who was the writer of the national anthem. During his lifetime he was an active member of the Pakistani Movement, using his writing to inspire people to the cause.
The naming of roads in the capital after famous people is common practice in Islamabad. It is used a way of creating awareness and allowing the new generation to know about the important people from the country’s past, whilst honouring them for their outstanding service.
To date over 100 roads in the capital have been named after famous people.
Ruth Stone House Burgled
A historic house that belonged to Ruth Stone, the late poet from Goshen, was burled last week. The Ruth Stone Foundation have been assessing the damage which includes missing floorboards and power tools and estimate the cost will be around $3700.
A non-profit organisation, the Ruth Stone Foundation was set up to honour the legacy of Stone, a former poet laureate in Vermont. The house was owned by Stone from 1956 until she died in 2011. It remained vacant for several years until the foundation was created and they have been working on the property since they acquired it. The plan was to create a space with workshops and writers’ retreats.
Most of the work that had been carried out on the property had been completed by volunteers and family members including the poet’s granddaughter, who is also a poet. It is believed that the house was built in 1800. Because of its important link with the poet, it is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The floorboards that were taken included some new wood but also many of the original floorboards, so it is hard to gauge the actual value of everything that was taken.
An online appeal following the burglary has already received donations of $3000.
You must register to comment. Log in or Register.